


Secrets

by hifftn



Category: Midnight Poppy Land (Webcomic)
Genre: F/M, had this idea and wanted to get it out, more space for new ideas, some fluff for my heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:55:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25634656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hifftn/pseuds/hifftn
Summary: Poppy can't be fooled. Tora has a secret and she will find out what it is.
Relationships: Tora/Poppy Wilkes
Comments: 3
Kudos: 135





	Secrets

She should have been used to secrets by now. Should have been able to simply accept that he wouldn't tell her everything. Heck, she often didn't even ask anymore. They had agreed Tora would be honest when it came to their - whatever it was between them. She didn't dare call it a relationship, even with him staying more nights in her apartment than not.   
But this felt different. It was personal.  
It all started when Tora came over and didn't immediately take a shower. Usually it was the first thing he did, washing off the day before he joined Poppy on the couch or in the kitchen.   
"Showered earlier, at home," he simply answered when she asked casually.   
But why? Hadn't he told her showering at home was just a waste of time he could otherwise spend with her? Or at least in her apartment, because they barely showered together. She sure remembered that conversation, even if he didn't use that many words.   
The next thing that bothered her was his shirt. It was buttoned up to the last button and STILL ON HIM. Poppy had gotten used to Tora running around shirtless, she was actually looking forward to it.   
Of course only because it showed how at ease he was around her. Not because she could shamelessly ogle him the whole time.  
It was strange cuddling up on him on the couch and feeling fabric under her skin, not his warm and firm chest. She didn't ask why he was still dressed, afraid she wouldn't like the answer. What if he didn't like her touching him anymore? What if the novelty of their physical relationship had worn off for him? Or maybe...  
What really made her suspicious, though, was the wince. She had wrapped her arms around his waist while watching TV and decided to play with his hair. So her hand crept up his chest, reaching for a strand of silky black hair. But as she passed over his pecs, he winced. She could have sworn he even flinched. Away from her and her touch.  
"Okay Mr. Big Bad Thug, what the fudge is going on here?"   
Poppy sat up and pressed her fists on her hips, a crease between her eyebrows.   
"Whatcha talkin' about?"   
Aha! He was deflecting.  
“I’m talking about you acting strange. If you don’t want to be here with me, just say so and leave. No need to be like this.” She crossed her arms in front of her and huffed.   
“Be like what?”   
Once again he stalled. Poppy narrowed her eyes at him.   
“You are putting distance between us. On purpose, I assume. So, what is it? Am I boring you? Are you tired of always sleeping with the same girl? Is it that?”   
“What the fuck, Bobby? Why should I get tired of makin’ ya scream my name? I’ll never get tired of you and your body.” He also sat up straighter, his scowl matching hers. “If anyone is strange today, it’s you.”   
“So, if it’s not that you don’t want to be with me and are not bored of me yet, why are you all covered up, and more importantly, why don’t you want me to touch you?” Poppy paled, eyes growing wide. “Oh no… you are injured. Are you injured? Oh my god, Tora! What happened?” His job as ‘bodyguard’ - Poppy inwardly rolled her eyes, but that was what he had told her and he stuck with this label - could probably get dangerous sometimes. That was also the reason for him being so protective of her. He had seen stuff. Probably had also done stuff. And now he paid the price for it. Tears gathered in her eyes.   
“Sweetheart, calm down. I’m not injured.”   
There was only one way to find out and Poppy yelled ‘I’m sorry’ as her hands briefly pressed against his chest, making him curse.   
“Not injured, huh? I’m not stupid, Tora. You are in pain and you are doing a shitty job at hiding it.” She sniffled, the idea of him getting hurt in his job was too much.   
“Didn’t say I’m not in pain. But not injured.” He sighed and started unbuttoning his shirt. “Can’t get anything past ya, can I?”   
Her mind raced. What the heck was going on? He was in pain but not hurt? Did he have a heart attack? No, not even Tora would be so unfazed. He was good at hiding pain, she had found bruises on him so often already and he had never complained.  
She gasped when she saw the bandages covering his chest.   
“My goodness… Tora! You said you weren’t injured!”   
“‘m not. Here.” Without batting an eye he ripped the bandages off. Her breath hitched in her throat, her heart hammered in her chest. Bright red and inky black, hints of green.   
“You - got a new tattoo?” Unsure how she should feel now, from relief to anger to confusion in a split second, she raised her hand, fingertips twitching into his direction.   
He waited for her to decide what to do.   
“It’s beautiful,” she breathed at last.   
Two poppies, their stems entangled, black patterns blending it into the already existing curves of his old tattoos.   
“Wanted it right here,” he explained and tapped on the left side of his chest. The spot where Poppy loved to rest on and listen to his heartbeat. “Figured it’s less conspicuous if it’s mirrored on the other side, too.”   
They were symmetrical, she realized as she stared at the bright red flowers.  
“But… why…?”   
Tora shrugged. “I’m not good with words and we both know it. Picture is worth a thousands words and stuff.”   
Poppy sniffled again and wiped her eyes. “This is the nicest thing anyone ever did for me.” She traced the one on his left side with a fingertip, a light brush over his skin. “Does it hurt?”  
“Tender. Not too bad though when no one leans on it.” He raised his eyebrow at her and laughed when she glared at him.   
“No my fault that you try to keep secrets from me,” she complained, but she couldn’t stay mad at him. Not when he did something this cute. “How did you even get the idea I wouldn’t notice?”   
“Because you’re a bit of an airhead sometimes. And I didn’t want to hide it forever. Just until tomorrow.”  
Poppy looked up. “Tomorrow?”  
“Yeah.” He waited but she only frowned.   
“It’s been a year since I first ran into a certain hamster for the first time.” His dimples showed when he grinned at her.   
Poppy’s eyes widened. “I - totally forgot.”   
“‘s fine,” he assured her and grabbed her hands, lacing his fingers with hers. “You’re givin’ me so much already.”   
“I do?” Was it the food? The sex?   
“Yeah.” He raised their joined hands and pressed her palm lightly on his chest, over his heart.   
Later Poppy would fuss over the tender skin, put some lotion on and a new bandage. For now, though, they just stayed like that, wordless and trading kisses back and forth.


End file.
